138. Thirdly, The Supream Power cannot take from any
Man any part of his Property without his own consent. For
the preservation of Property being the end of Government,
and that for which Men enter into Society, it necessarily
supposes and requires, that the People should have
Property, without which they must be suppos'd to lose that
by entring into Society, which was the end for which they
entered into it, too gross an absurdity for any Man to own.
Men therefore in Society having Property, they have such a
right to the goods, which by the Law of the Community
are theirs, that no Body hath a right to take their substance,
or any part of it from them, without their own consent;
without this, they have no Property at all. For I have
truly no Property in that, which another can by right take
from me, when he pleases, against my consent. Hence it is
a mistake to think, that the Supream or Legislative Power of
any Commonwealth, can do what it will, and dispose of the
Estates of the Subject arbitrarily, or take any part of them
at pleasure. This is not much to be fear'd in Governments
where the Legislative consists, wholly or in part, in Assemblies
which are variable, whose Members upon the Dissolution
of the Assembly, are Subjects under the common
Laws of their Country, equally with the rest. But in Governments,
where the Legislative is in one lasting Assembly
always in being, or in one Man, as in Absolute Monarchies,
there is danger still, that they will think themselves to have
a distinct interest, from the rest of the Community; and so
will be apt to increase their own Riches and Power, by taking,
what they think fit, from the People. For a Man's
Property is not at all secure, though there be good and equitable
Laws to set the bounds of it, between him and his
Fellow Subjects, if he who commands those Subjects, have
Power to take from any private Man, what part he pleases
of his Property, and use and dispose of it as he thinks
good.

139. But Government into whatsoever hands it is put,
being as I have before shew'd, intrusted with this condition,
and for this end, that Men might have and secure their
Properties, the Prince or Senate, however it may have
power to make Laws for the regulating of Property between
the Subjects one amongst another, yet can never have a
Power to take to themselves the whole or any part of the
Subjects Property, without their own consent. For this
would be in effect to leave them no Property at all. And to
let us see, that even absolute Power, where it is necessary,
is not Arbitrary by being absolute, but is still limited by that
reason, and confined to those ends, which required it in
some Cases to be absolute, we need look no farther than
the common practice of Martial Discipline. For the Preservation
of the Army, and in it of the whole Commonwealth,
requires an absolute Obedience to the Command of
every Superiour Officer, and it is justly Death to disobey
or dispute the most dangerous or unreasonable of them:
but yet we see, that neither the Serjeant, that could command
a Souldier to march up to the mouth of a Cannon,
or stand in a Breach, where he is almost sure to perish,
can command that Soldier to give him one penny of his
Money; nor the General, that can condemn him to Death
for deserting his Post, or for not obeying the most desperate
Orders, can yet with all his absolute Power of Life and
Death, dispose of one Farthing of that Soldiers Estate, or
seize one jot of his Goods; whom yet he can command any
thing, and hang for the least Disobedience. Because such
a blind Obedience is necessary to that end for which the
Commander has his Power, viz. the preservation of the
rest; but the disposing of his Goods has nothing to do
with it.

140. 'Tis true, Governments cannot be supported without
great Charge, and 'tis fit every one who enjoys his
share of the Protection, should pay out of his Estate his
proportion for the maintenance of it. But still it must be
with his own Consent, i.e. the Consent of the Majority, giving
it either by themselves, or their Representatives chosen
by them. For if any one shall claim a Power to lay and levy
Taxes on the People, by his own Authority, and without
such consent of the People, he thereby invades the Fundamental
Law of Property, and subverts the end of Government.
For what property have I in that which another may
by right take, when he pleases to himself?